‘2 Hearts’ Review: A Cliche, But Sweet Romantic Drama
There’s a lot of heart in “2 HEARTS.”
Directed by Lance Hool, 2 HEARTS is a romantic drama starring Jacob Elordi and Adan Canto that film follows the story of two couples: Chris and Sam, and Jorge and Leslie. The first couple, Chris and Sam, are two love-struck teenagers who meet when volunteering as designated drivers for intoxicated students at their school. The second couple, Jorge and Leslie, meet on an airplane and begin a whirlwind romance that transcends across the globe. The two couples come together when a tragedy occurs, and their lives become permanently interwoven.
Elordi, known for Netflix’s THE KISSING BOOTH, plays a perfectly charming lead who convincingly swoons the audience with his crooked smile and naiveté. His counterpart, played by RIVERDALE’s Tiera Skovbye, is equally charming as the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed girl-next-door. The film documents their love story from the very first classroom glance—she’s the sweet, unassuming do-gooder who knows exactly what she wants to do with her life, while he is the stereotype of the kid who coasts on the C’s and D’s in school by doing the bare minimum to get by. The “opposites attract” trope comes into play here, but the two actors give it their best and make for a sweet pair to watch onscreen.
On the flip side, Canto plays a suave bachelor who helps run his family’s rum business. Suffering from a long-term breathing ailment, he has defied odds his entire life by living years longer than doctors had given him at his diagnosis. He meets his bride-to-be, played by Radha Mitchell, while traveling for work. She is a beautiful flight attendant who catches his eye, and two hit it off instantly when he asks her to hold his hand through takeoff.
The pairing of Jorge and Leslie is more appealing to watch as the idea of an older couple reaching their middle life and finding love seems sweeter than the fresh-out-of-high-school Chris and Sam whose big dreams are undeterred by the harsh realities of the world around them. Though the film suffers at times from typical stereotypes, uninspired lines of dialogue, or predictable plot points, it is hard to deny that it is an emotionally charged story with the idea of love, sacrifice, and family at the core of it.
All of the players commit fully to the characters, and in the short hundred-minute run time, establish strong connections with the audience that make them feel empathetic to the events unfolding within the film. Those looking for a simple, yet sweet story to make them want to call their loved ones as soon as the film ends would do well to check out 2 HEARTS, playing in theaters now.